In view of the continuing need for renewable energy resources, solar energy is one of the primary areas of focus. Solar energy provides an abundant and readily renewable energy source without the harmful carbon emissions that are characteristic of oil, coal and natural gas. Improvements in solar panel efficiency—the panel's ability to convert more solar energy into kilowatt-hours—and in the cost of constructing the panels are making solar energy a viable alternative energy source.
It is currently known to utilize solar panel assemblies in sun-tracking systems to follow the sun's trajectory to maximize energy generation throughout the day. It is also known that tracking the sun with a solar panel assembly on one axis improves the energy capture of the solar panels by up to 25%. Most current tracking systems utilize a small number of solar panels (5-10). As such, the small number of panels on the moving parts of the solar tracker multiplies the number and complexity of the drives' mounting and control systems of a large installation, which adds overall cost for those systems and the installation thereof. Indeed, current systems require installation of a significant number of parts in the field which adds to the cost of the overall system and the installation costs. It is estimated that the cost for installing the solar panel assemblies in the field can be three times the cost of actually constructing and assembling the solar panels compared to the controlled environment of the proposed assembly plant. Installation of the solar panel assemblies in the field is also prone to weather risks and project delays. Still yet another drawback of current solar panel tracking assemblies is that their assembly in the field is not easily automated nor is there an ability to control the quality of overall construction.
Based upon the foregoing, it is readily apparent that there is a need in the art for solar panels that are mountable to a single foldable frame and wherein multiples of these frames can be shipped pre-assembled on a flatbed trailer for ease of installation. Moreover, there is a need for a solar panel assembly package that facilitates shipping of the solar panels and which also functions to serve as the structural components and shipping frames for the installed solar panel arrays.